Coal combusting boiler

ABSTRACT

A coal consuming boiler is provided with a combustion chamber having a divider of refractory material formed therein which separates the combustion chamber into primary and secondary combustion areas. A coal burner head for combusting coal is located in the primary combustion area. Primary combustion air is directed to the burner head while additional secondary combustion air is directed to the secondary combustion area to ensure that all combustible gases are thoroughly burnt up prior to the exhaust exiting the combustion chamber through a heat exchanger of the boiler. Exhaust tubes extending through the heat exchanger are configured in a horizontal double-pass configuration. A cleaner is provided in the form of nozzles associated with each of the exhaust tubes which are arranged to direct a high pressure flow of gas periodically therethrough for removing collected ash from the exhaust tubes to increase efficiency of the heat exchanger.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a boiler and more particularly relates to a boiler which combusts coal.

BACKGROUND

Solid fuel boilers and furnaces are well known in the prior art in various forms for combusting wood, coal and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,266 to Payson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,715 to Lahaye et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,051 to Auerbach et al and U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,185 to Black disclose variations of boilers for combusting solid fuels.

A common problem occurring with solid fuel burners is incomplete combustion due to insufficient temperatures being reached or insufficient combustion air being provided. This results in combustible gases escaping which are potentially both harmful to the environment and result in an inefficiency in fuel use. Further inefficiencies arise due to common ash residue in solid fuel burners.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a boiler comprising:

a coal burner head for combusting coal;

a combustion chamber above the coal burner head;

a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between exhaust exiting the combustion chamber and a heat exchanger fluid circulated through the heat exchanger;

a divider formed of refractory material separating the combustion chamber into a primary combustion area on a first side of the divider and a secondary combustion area on a second side of the divider; and

air supply means for directing primary combustion air to the primary combustion area on the first side of the divider and for directing secondary combustion air to the secondary combustion area on the second side of the divider.

The use of a refractory divider between primary and secondary combustion areas slows the exhaust flow and concentrates flow at a location of increased temperature due to the refractory materials. Provision of the secondary combustion air at the second side of the refractory material ensures that combustible gases are fully burnt before exiting through the exhaust.

When the divider includes through holes formed therein for passage of exhaust gases therethrough, the divider preferably fully spans interior walls of the chamber so that the exhaust can only pass through the holes in the divider.

The divider preferably extends generally horizontally, locating the secondary combustion area thereabove and the primary combustion area therebelow.

The divider may be formed of a material including alumina and silica, for example material available under the name Firecrete™.

The secondary combustion air is preferably introduced into the secondary combustion area directly adjacent the divider.

The primary air may be introduced into the primary combustion area adjacent the burner head.

The primary and secondary combustion air are preferably introduced under pressure.

The heat exchanger may include horizontal exhaust tubes for directing the exhaust therethrough.

The exhaust tubes are preferably oriented in a double-pass configuration through the heat exchanger.

When the exhaust tubes include first exhaust tubes and second exhaust tubes oriented parallel to one another, they are preferably commonly joined at one end by an exhaust manifold.

There may be provided an exhaust tube cleaner comprising a nozzle associated with each exhaust tube which is arranged for directing a high pressure flow of gas, for example air, therethrough for removing collected ash when activated.

Coal is preferably augered up through a center of the burner head from below with an ash collection hopper including an auger for removal of ash therefrom below the burner head.

The heat exchanger may include a pressure relief tank coupled in communication therewith.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a boiler comprising:

a coal burner head for combusting coal;

a combustion chamber above the coal burner head;

air supply means for directing combustion air to the combustion chamber;

horizontal exhaust tubes communicating with the combustion chamber for directing exhaust gases therethrough;

a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the exhaust tubes and a heat exchanger fluid circulated through the heat exchanger; and

an exhaust tube cleaner comprising a nozzle associated with each exhaust tube which is arranged for directing a high pressure flow of gas therethrough for removing collected ash from the exhaust tubes.

Minimized residue in the exhaust can be achieved with further efficiencies resulting from provisions of an air cleaner using high pressure flows of air to remove ash residue from heat exchanger components.

A manifold is preferably coupled in communication with all of the nozzles for supplying air under pressure to all of the nozzles when air under pressure is introduced therein.

The exhaust tubes may comprise first exhaust tubes and second exhaust tubes communicating in series with one another through an exhaust manifold wherein all of the nozzles are located at the exhaust manifold.

The nozzles are preferably oriented in at least some of the exhaust tubes to direct the flow of air under pressure towards the burner head.

The exhaust tube cleaner may be operated automatically at periodic intervals to periodically direct a high pressure flow of gas through the exhaust tubes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of the boiler.

FIG. 2 is a partly sectional perspective view of the assembled boiler.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the boiler.

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the boiler.

FIG. 5 is sectional view along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along the line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a boiler generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The boiler is particularly suited for combusting solid fuels, for example coal and the like.

The boiler 10 includes a housing having a burner section 12 and a heat exchanger section 14. The burner section generally comprises a vertically oriented cylindrical wall formed in double layers to define a water jacket 16 between the layers.

A burner head 18 is supported within the hollow interior of the burner section spaced above the bottom end thereof. The burner head 18 is a round flat supporting surface having a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the interior of the burner section to define an annular space therebetween for receiving excess ash subsequent to combustion above the burner head.

Solid fuel is fed onto the burner head 18 up through a hole 20 formed in the center of the plate in communication with a feed tube 22 which supplies the fuel to the burner head. The burner head 18 further includes a plurality of air holes distributed thereacross in communication with a pair of air supply tubes 24 extending horizontally beneath the burner head along opposing sides of the feed tube 22 therebetween.

The burner section includes a hopper bottom 26 locating an ash removal auger 28 in communication therewith which extends at an upward incline from a center of the hopper bottom to location external of the housing. The ash auger 28 is operated periodically and automatically by a timer to remove ash at preset intervals when the boiler is operating.

A stoker 30 is provided spaced outwardly from a front side of the boiler. The stoker 30 includes an air box 32 coupling a fan (not shown) thereto which supplies air under pressure in a flow to the air box 32. The air box communicates with the air supply tubes 24 to feed the air under pressure as primary combustion air to the burner head.

The stoker 30 further includes a hopper 34 having an open top end formed at the top of the air box which communicates at a bottom end with an auger housed within the feed tube 22 to conduct fuel deposited into the hopper 34 to the burner head through the central hole 20 thereof upwardly from beneath the burner head responsive to water temperature of the boiler falling below a prescribed lower limit of the boiler.

A suitable mounting collar 36 is coupled to the cylindrical wall of the burner section of the housing for receiving the feed tube 22 and the air supply tubes 24 therethrough to the interior of the housing. The mounting collar 36 further supports the stoker on the cylindrical wall of the housing.

A suitable access panel 38 is supported in the cylindrical side wall of the burner section of the housing diametrically opposite the stoker.

A combustion chamber is defined above the burner head which supports a horizontal divider 40 therein at a positioned spaced above the burner head. The divider 40 comprises a high heat resistant material available under the trade name Firecrete™ or other suitable refractory material having similar characteristics. Firecrete™ material is formed mostly of alumina while including large portions of silica and some other compounds therein.

The divider 40 divides the combustion chamber into a primary combustion area 42 and a secondary combustion area 44. The divider 40 fully spans the interior walls of the burner section and includes through holes 46 formed therein at circumferentially spaced positions thereabout such that the flow of exhaust from the primary combustion area is forced through the holes 46 to the secondary combustion area 44.

As described above primary combustion air is directed through the air supply tubes 24 directly to the burner below the divider in the primary combustion area. A branch duct (not shown) coupled to the air box 32 provides secondary combustion air directly above the divider into the secondary combustion area 44 by extending the branch duct through aperture 48 formed in the side wall of the burner section of the housing. A suitable damper control is provided on the branch duct directing the secondary combustion air therethrough for controlling how much air is directed to the secondary combustion area.

The heat exchanger section 14 of the housing comprises a horizontal cylinder jointed at a first end directly above the burner section and being suspended above the ground at a second end 52 by suitable legs 54.

Adjacent the first end 50 of the heat exchanger an upper first end wall 56 spans vertically across an upper half of the cylindrical wall spaced only slightly from the first end of the cylinder to define a small exhaust chamber 58 between the upper first end wall 56 and the end wall of the cylindrical heat exchanger section of the housing. A lower first end wall 60 similarly spans vertically across the lower half of the cylindrical wall of the heat exchanger section spaced sufficiently from the first end of the cylinder to receive the burner section directly below the heat exchanger section between the lower first end wall 60 and the first end of the cylinder walls of the heat exchanger section. A horizontal wall 62 joins the upper and lower first end walls to enclose the secondary combustion area which is accordingly bound at a top end by the horizontal wall 62 along a bottom by the divider 40, at one end by the lower first end wall 60, at an opposing end by the end wall of the heat exchanger section and at sides by cylindrical walls of the heat exchanger section spanning the remaining sides.

The exhaust chamber 58 includes a shelf 64 spanning between the upper first end wall 56 and the first end of the heat exchanger section at a position which is spaced slightly above the horizontal wall 62 to define an open space 66 therebetween which is open for communication with the second end of the housing to define a water jacket within the interior of the housing between the exhaust chamber 58 and the secondary combustion area.

At the second end of the heat exchanger section of the housing, a second end wall 68 fully spans the cylindrical wall of the housing spaced inwardly only slightly from the second end 52 of the housing to define an exhaust manifold space 70 therebetween.

A plurality of first exhaust tubes 72 are all oriented spaced apart and parallel to one another in a lower half of the housing in communication between the secondary combustion area and the exhaust manifold space 70. Similarly a plurality of second exhaust tubes 74 span parallel to the first exhaust tubes spaced apart from one another in the upper half of the heat exchanger section of the housing for communication between the exhaust manifold space 70 and the exhaust chamber 58 at the first end of the housing.

In this configuration exhaust must pass from the secondary combustion area through the first tubes to the exhaust manifold space 70 and subsequently through the second tubes to the exhaust chamber 58 before exiting upwardly through a vertical exhaust tube 76 coupled to the housing in communication with the exhaust chamber 58 at the first end of the heat exchanger section. A horizontal, double-pass heat exchanger configuration results when the fluid chamber 80 surrounding the exhaust tubes 72 and 74 is filled with a suitable heat exchanging fluid, for example water and the like which can be circulated therethrough.

An over pressure tank 78 is supported above the heat exchanger section of the housing in communication with the heat exchanger fluid chamber 80 surrounding the exhaust tubes 77 and 74 in the event that excessive heat results in sufficient expansion of the fluid within the fluid chamber 80 to overflow into the over pressure 78 without damage to the boiler.

An exhaust tube cleaner system 82 is provided at the second end of the heat exchanger section of the housing housed within the exhaust manifold space 70. This system includes a nozzle 84 supported in association with and aimed at the open second end of each of the first and second exhaust tubes 72 and 74. A series of manifold tubes 86 joins all of the nozzles in communication with a source of air at high pressure so that when activated, high pressure air is directed through each of the nozzles 84 to subsequently direct a high pressure flow of air through each of the first and second exhaust tubes 72 and 74. Any suitable gas which is not readily combustible may be used in place of air, but air is preferred as it is most readily available.

Air in the first tubes at the lower half of the housing is directed towards the burner head and the combustion chamber for returning ash to the burner head and accordingly subsequently down to the hopper therebelow when the ash overflows in operation. Air in the second exhaust tubes 74 in an upper half of the housing is forced in a direction towards the exhaust chamber 58. The main vertical exhaust tube 76 coupled to the exhaust chamber extends vertically at right angles to the second exhaust tubes 74 so that ash being forced through the second exhaust tubes by the high pressure air flow is encouraged to settle in the exhaust chamber rather than exit through the main vertical exhaust tube 76.

A suitable disposal hole 88 is provided in the shelf 64 enclosing the bottom of the exhaust chamber which permits the exhaust chamber to be selectively opened to the secondary combustion area therebelow so that any ash settled within the exhaust chamber can be periodically manually urged down through the hole 88 to similarly settle on the burner head or overflow down into the hopper and ash removal system below the burner head.

Activation of the release of high pressure air through the manifold 86 and nozzles 84 is accomplished automatically by a suitable controller including a timer for periodic activation thereof automatically at preset intervals during operation of the boiler.

The location of the divider of refractory material directly above the burner head to define a first combustion area and a secondary combustion area thereabove allows heat to be concentrated at the secondary combustion area so that injection of secondary combustion air immediately above the refractory material forming the divider ensures that all combustible gases are burnt up before exiting through the exhaust tubes.

In summary, a boiler or hot water heater is described herein including horizontal flue tubes and a double-pass heat exchanger. The first stage of combustion is a stoker fed coal burning head surrounded by a water jacket. Above this a slab of Firecrete™ with holes for the exhaust gases to pass therethrough leading to a unique secondary combustion area. In this secondary combustion area above the divider, the highest temperatures are produced and any unburned gases are burned up. The horizontal flues are cleaned through an air manifold system using a high pressure air flow system. This clears the flues by cleaning out any fly ash and materials in the flue for increased heat exchanger efficiency. The air cleaning system is controlled by a timer and operates at regular intervals. The fly ash then falls into the ash pit below the burner head to be subsequently augured out of the boiler.

While one embodiment of the present invention has been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention. The invention is to be considered limited solely by the scope of the appended Claims. 

1. A boiler comprising: a coal burner head for combusting coal; a combustion chamber above the coal burner head; a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between exhaust exiting the combustion chamber and a heat exchanger fluid circulated through the heat exchanger; a divider formed of refractory material separating the combustion chamber into a primary combustion area on a first side of the divider and a secondary combustion area on a second side of the divider; and air supply means for directing primary combustion air to the primary combustion area on the first side of the divider and for directing secondary combustion air to the secondary combustion area on the second side of the divider.
 2. The boiler according to claim 1 wherein the divider includes through holes formed therein for passage of exhaust gases therethrough.
 3. The boiler according to claim 2 wherein the divider fully spans interior walls of the chamber so that the exhaust can only pass through the holes in the divider.
 4. The boiler according to claim 1 wherein the divider extends generally horizontally, locating the secondary combustion area thereabove and the primary combustion area therebelow.
 5. The boiler according to claim 1 wherein the divider is formed of a material including alumina and silica.
 6. The boiler according to claim 1 wherein the secondary combustion air is introduced into the secondary combustion area directly adjacent the divider.
 7. The boiler according to claim 1 wherein the primary air is introduced into the primary combustion area adjacent the burner head.
 8. The boiler according to claim 1 wherein the primary and secondary combustion air are introduced under pressure.
 9. The boiler according to claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger includes horizontal exhaust tubes for directing the exhaust therethrough.
 10. The boiler according to claim 9 wherein the exhaust tubes are oriented in a double-pass configuration through the heat exchanger.
 11. The boiler according to claim 10 wherein the exhaust tubes include first exhaust tubes and second exhaust tubes oriented parallel to one another and which are commonly joined at one end by an exhaust manifold.
 12. The boiler according to claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger includes a plurality of exhaust tubes for directing exhaust therethrough and wherein there is provided an exhaust tube cleaner comprising a nozzle associated with each exhaust tube which is arranged for directing a high pressure flow of gas therethrough for removing collected ash when activated.
 13. The boiler according to claim 1 wherein coal is augered up through a center of the burner head from below.
 14. The boiler according to claim 1 wherein the burner head is supported above an ash collection hopper including an auger for removal of ash therefrom.
 15. The boiler according to claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger includes a pressure relief tank coupled in communication therewith.
 16. A boiler comprising: a coal burner head for combusting coal; a combustion chamber above the coal burner head; air supply means for directing combustion air to the combustion chamber; horizontal exhaust tubes communicating with the combustion chamber for directing exhaust gases therethrough; a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the exhaust tubes and a heat exchanger fluid circulated through the heat exchanger; and an exhaust tube cleaner comprising a nozzle associated with each exhaust tube which is arranged for directing a high pressure flow of gas therethrough for removing collected ash from the exhaust tubes.
 17. The boiler according to claim 16 wherein a manifold is coupled in communication with all of the nozzles for supplying air under pressure to all of the nozzles when air under pressure is introduced therein.
 18. The boiler according to claim 16 wherein the exhaust tubes comprise first exhaust tubes and second exhaust tubes communicating in series with one another through an exhaust manifold and wherein all of the nozzles are located at the exhaust manifold.
 19. The boiler according to claim 16 wherein the nozzles are oriented in at least some of the exhaust tubes to direct the flow of air under pressure towards the burner head.
 20. The boiler according to claim 16 wherein the exhaust tube cleaner is operated automatically at periodic intervals to periodically direct a high pressure flow of gas through the exhaust tubes. 